Amid the country-wide uproar over rape cases, some allegedly involving even lawmakers, a study has revealed that as many as 48 MPs and MLAs have declared cases related to crimes against women. According to a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), among the 48 lawmakers facing charges of crime against women, 45 are MLAs and three are Members of Parliament.

The information released by ADR has further revealed that recognised political parties gave tickets to 327 candidates with declared cases related to crime against women while 118 candidates with similar charges got tickets as independents  in the last five years.

“Among these candidates, 40 candidates were given tickets by parties for Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha elections. Various recognised parties have given tickets to 287 candidates with cases related to crimes against women for state assemblies’ elections,” said the report.

The number is, however, lesser in case of independent candidates. “In the last 5 years, 18 independent candidates with declared cases related to crimes against women contested in the Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha Elections. Similarly, 100 independent candidates with declared cases related to crimes against women contested in the state assemblies’ elections,” the report adds.

Maharashtra has the most number of MPs and MLAs facing charges of crime against women. As many as 12 lawmakers from the state have declared cases against them. Following the BJP-ruled state is West Bengal, which has 11 MPs/MLAs facing such charges. Odisha and Andhra Pradesh each with 5 MPs/MLAs who have declared cases related crimes against women.

With regard to the number of such candidates given election tickets by parties, Maharashtra against ranks at the top with 65, following by Bihar with 62 and West Bengal with 52 candidates.

Among the political parties, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has the highest number of MPs/MLAs – 12, followed by the Shiv Sena with seven and the Trinamool Congress with six MPs/MLAs who have declared cases related crimes against women.

As many as 47 candidates with declared cases related to crimes against women were given tickets by the BJP. The second highest number of candidates – 35 – who had declared cases related to crimes against women were given tickets by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), followed by 24 candidates from the Congress.